Pivoted front steering-truck.



P. E. HOLT.

PIVOTED FRONT STEERING TRUCK.

APPLIOATION FIILED JULY 1, 1909.

Patented June 6, 1911 To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, PLINY zen of the United States, and residing at 83 UNITED STATES PATENT oriuon.

PLINY n. HOLT, or srooxron, CALIFORNIA.

PIVOTED FRONT STEERING-TRUCK.

Specification of Le tters Patent.

Patented June 6, 1911.

- .pplication filed July 1, 1908. Serial No. 505,387.

Hour, a'

West Poplar street, in the city of Stockto county of San Joaquin, and Stateof Cali fornia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pivoted Front Steering- Trucks; and I do hereby declare the follow ing to be a full, clear, and exact d scription of the said invention, such :as will enable others skilled in the-art which it most nearly appertains tomake, use, and practice the same- This invention relates to improvements in traetor'frames, and] more particularly to the teei ing mechanism thereof, and,consists-in tile novel construction and ailr' angement of t 5 parts asrhereinafter described.

[The objects sought to be acebinplished are toiprovide a rigid frame for/tractors of the ion belt ty'pe, an d to, hinge the steering truck, in suchqa manner-that the steering al ns will be in direct contact with the ground at alhtimes.

",Bioadly,,lzhb invention consists of a main frame icoifiposed of a rectangular superfraine arid an isosceles triangular sub-frame having its apex extended beyond the front and-its base extended across and beyond the sides of the said super-frame; supporting trucks rigidly fixed to said base beam, and a cross beani extending across the main frame beneath the triangular portion thereof; a triangulai steering frame, having a wheeled truck pivoted at the apex thereof, pivoted to and resiliently supporting the "said main frame; and means for steering said truck.

In the drawings Figurel is'a plan View from above of a tractor frame drawrf "to illustrate this invention. Fig. 2/ is a side elevation of the same,,the front axle on the near side beingbroken away at theline 2-2 ,1. I

\ cfidss beam, 5, extend across and are rigidly attached-torheside beams, 9, of the supporting truck located-Jet each side of the main frame. The supporting truck is provided 18, of the triangular with the idle sprocket, 10, and the supportng rollers, 11, journaled therein. The drivng sprockets, 12, are fixed on the sleeves, 13, ournale'd"in the brackets,'14, fixed on the super frame. Said ceiving power from any suitable source (not shown).

- The purpose of mounting the driving sprocket on the same foundation as the driving mechanism is to insure proper meshing of the driving gears. Ithas been common practice heretofore to mount the driving sprocket in the supporting frame; but this sleeves are rotated by means of gears 15 secured thereto and rehas proved deleterious to the gearing, owing I to the possibilities of disalinement due to the lost motion between the supporting trucks and the main frame. axle, 16, extends across the machine within the sleeves, 13, to maintain the alinement of the driving gears. The endless traction belt, 17, passes around the idle and the. driving sprockets, 10 and 12, and beneath the series of rollers, 11.

' The apex of the triangular frame (which is the/front" portion of the main frame) is provided with the buffer head, 18. The triangula}: steering frame comprises the side beam 19, terminating in the hinge lugs, 20. These lugs engage the hinge-brackets, 21, which are secured to the mainframe, and which support the pivot rod, 22, upon which the steering frame hinges. The front of the steering frame is provided with the divided head, 23, within which the front axle is pivoted on the'king-pin, 24c. The buffer head, frame rests-upon the cushion block, 25, set in the head, 23.

When the steering truck is pivoted di rectly in the main frame, in passing over a culvert or ridge the steering wheels are raised clear of the ground, and while so raised it is impossible to alter the course of the tractor. When the steering truck is pivoted in a secondary frame hinged to the main frame, the steering wheels remain in contact with the ground under all road conditions and are thus able to perform their proper function.

The steering truck is operated by the tiller ropes, 26, fixed, as at 2:7, to the axle, 28, on oppositesides of the vet thereof, and are wound in opposite irection around the drum, 29, mounted in the steerlng frame. This drum is rotated by the worm gear, 30, meshed with the worm, 31, fixed on the The floating Having thus described this invention what is claimed and desired to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a tractor a main frame composed of a rectangular frame and a triangular frame having its apex extended beyond and its base extended across and beyond the said rectangular frame; supporting trucks rigidly fixed to the base beam of the triangular frame and also to a transverse beam rigidly connecting the sides of said triangular frame; a steering frame hinged to said triangular frame and having a vertical swing therefrom; and buffer sprlngs attached to said steering frame and adapted to bear against the upper and lower sides of said triangular frame.

2. In a tractor a main frame composed of a rectangular frame combined with a triangular frame having its apex and its base angles extended beyond the said rectangular frame; a transverse beam fixed to said main frame; supporting trucks rigidly fixed to the base angles of said triangularframe and the said transverse beam; a steering frame hinged to said main frame; resilient members interposed between said steering frame and the main frame; a wheeled truck pivoted to said steering frame; and a steering mechanism mounted on said steering frame and attached to said Wheeled truck.

3. In a tractor a main frame provided apex of the triangle, a

apex of the triangle,

with a triangular member,traction trucks secured to said member at the base of the triangle, a steering frame pivotally mounted in said main frame near the apex of the tri angle,'a wheeled truck pivotally mounted in the forward end of said steering frame, and a steering device for controlling said Wheeled truck.

4. In a tractor a main frame provided with a triangular member, traction trucks secured to said member at the base of the triangle, a triangular steering frame pivotally connected with said main frame near the wheeled truck pivotally mounted in said steering frame at the and a steering device for controlling said wheeled truck.

5. In a tractor a main frame provided witha triangular member, traction trucks secured to said member at the base of the triangle, a triangular steering frame pivotally connected with said main frame near the apex of the triangle, a wheeled truck pivotally mountedin said steering frame at the apex of the triangle, a steering drum mounted between the sides of said steering frame and operatively connected with said truck, and means for operating said drum.

6. In a tractor a main frame provided with a triangular member, traction trucks secured to said member at the base of the triangle, a steering frame pivotally mounted in said main frame near the apex of the triangle, a wheeled truck pivotally mounted in the forward end of said steering frame, a steering device for controlling said.

wheeled truck, and means for limiting the vertical swing of the steering frame.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

PLINY E. HOLT. 

